We are Empowered

Binhi sang Pagtuo

September 7, 2009

Dear Centralians and Friends,

Greetings from the Mactan International Airport!*

Our reflection for this week comes from Acts 1:8, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere - in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

The theme of the recently concluded 104th University Day celebration of CPU is “Empowering the Centralians for a better Central.” There are two immediate questions that went into my mind when I read the theme: Are Centralians not yet empowered? Is Central not better already?

If we take positively our theme, then it means that we are always empowering our students and alumni; Centralians are always empowered. And that Central is fundamentally better yet we strive to continue to make it better, and better.

Christians are empowered by the Holy Spirit. To be empowered means to have the power to do things. Yet the term “power” has several negative connotations. It is associated with abuse, dictatorship, authoritarian and being bossy.

One time, the disciples of Jesus associated empowerment to be like that – to be a boss, someone who is a master with slaves. The disciples were clamoring who will be in the right hand or left hand of Jesus when he assumes the kingship of Israel. But Jesus Christ scolded them by saying, “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of everyone else. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Mark 10:42-45.

This statement of Jesus means that as Christians we do not strive to become rulers with an attitude of “lording it over the people” but we are empowered to become servants. The Holy Spirit is our guide in giving service to the people. Every day we must ask ourselves the question, “How can I be of service to the people of God?”

Our text tells us that we are empowered to be witnesses of Jesus Christ. “In Jerusalem” symbolically means to be a witness of Jesus in our own homes; for a Centralian it means to be a witness of Jesus inside the community of CPU. “In Judea” symbolically means to be a witness of Jesus with our neighbors – with fellow Centralians outside the campus, with our alumni. “In Samaria” symbolically means to be a witness of Jesus in our surrounding communities. “Into the ends of earth” means to be a witness of Jesus everywhere.

Are we a good witness of Jesus Christ? If we are, then we can positively say that indeed Central is getting better because Centralians are becoming servants of Jesus anytime and anywhere.

May God bless us all.


Sincerely,

Pastor Francis Neil G. Jalando-on
Assistant Chaplain

* I’m in Cebu City en route to Dipolog and then to Sindangan, Zamboanga del Norte to conduct a continuing theological education seminar sponsored by the Institute for Advanced Theological Studies in partnership with the Central Philippine University, Convention of Philippine Baptist Churches and Convention Baptist Ministers Association. I’m with Rev. Jerson Narcio and Rev. Job Santiago, CPBC General Secretary.